"Henry Haga, (1931-1988), was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, attended the University of Wisconsin for one year and graduated from the Art Center School of Design. Haga began his career at the General Motors Design Staff in the experimental design studio.
"After experience in all five car division studios, he was named Chief Designer for Chevrolet Studio in 1963 and was responsible for the designs of the Corvette, Camaro, Monza, special show cars and the early Chevy II. In 1974 he was transferred to Opel at Russelsheim, West Germany, where he was Director of Design for the European passenger cars for the next six years.
"After returning to the United States in 1980, he became Assistant Executive Designer for the Chevrolet and Pontiac Exterior Design Studio, a position he held until 1984 when he was named Director of the General Motors Advanced Concepts Center in Newbury Park, California."
That's the biographical information I found on the Internet, though there are snippets regarding him here and there. Clearly, he was talented both in terms of styling and management, having held responsible positions for many years.
What were things like for him in his early years? A short-lived magazine from the Hot Rod / Motor Trend stable had a feature article about him around the time he graduated from the Art Center School, then located in Los Angeles.
The scans below are the best I could manage with my equipment, and I apologize for the quality. Click on the images to enlarge considerably.
Good Afternoon.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I wanted to thank you for publishing your post on Henry Haga at the Art Center School. It was quite informative.
Second, I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Scott Kolecki. I am an automotive historian and writer. I am in the process of writing a book on Camaro Concepts - a history of the car from the perspective of its design (and designers.)
In writing a small insert for the book on the history of Henry Haga, I found your blog post most informative...while I had much of this information cobbled together from other sources already, your article was succinct.
I am reaching out today for two reasons. First, to thank you for your efforts, and second, to inquire if you have any other specific information on the history of the Camaro (any generation) from the perspective of its designers.
Any information you might be able to glean would be greatly appreciated. While I don't have a lot to offer in terms of compensation for your time, I would gladly include you in the book's acknowledgments, offer reference to your blog, and provide you with a copy of the said book when it is published in summer 2023.
You can reach me at scottkolecki@gmail.com. I sincerely hope I hear back from you.
All the best,
Scott